Stonington Receives $350K To Shelter Diversion Program

STONINGTON, CT — Stonington will receive $350,000 for shelter diversion activities. Gov. Ned Lamont recently announced approval of $3.4 million in grants from the state’s Coronavirus Relief Fund, which uses federal CARES Act money, to finance programs in several towns across Connecticut.

This money will be used for homeless shelter improvements, homeless prevention services, and financial assistance for low-income residents at-risk of becoming homeless.

In Stonington, the funds will be used for support for day-to-day diversion activities by existing staff, improving follow-up on diversions in process, working with other systems to decrease shelter entries, improving coordination with “main line” systems, more fully engaging local social service agencies, and seek out best practices.

Funding would allow diversion up to 93 percent of all new families reporting for shelter. The additional staff will make the transition to housing more effective and thereby reducing returns to homelessness.

"These grants will be used to ensure the supports are in place for those who are on the verge of becoming homeless and we can rapidly respond to the situations they are facing," Lamont said in a statement. "Having a safe and secure place to call home is a critical component of responding to this public health crisis."

Several of the grants will be used for shelter diversion programs, which aim to prevent homelessness by helping those in need of shelter to identify alternate housing arrangements.